Thinking about trading-in the Maro

[Merlin]

I never thought I would ever say this but my car is majorly getting on my nerves. I guess after 3 years the hype is starting to wear off and the problems keep piling on, although I still absolutely its looks. I have been thinking about something somewhat smaller and practical but not a crapbox. So I was wondering if anyone had any experience with lower end BMWs (318, 323, etc), maybe 1996-98? I know absolutely nothing about them except that they look good and are reliable. So some of my questions are which year? which model is more reliable? How's the insurance on these compared to our cars? Is it a realistic car for a college student? How many is too many miles? I am guessing fixing it will be more expensive but my car has a new problem every other day anyway. I need a car that will be fun to drive, cheap, more practical, and reliable. Sorry for the rambling...

Thanks for any input!

[Loochy88]

my roommate had a 1995 m3. its had its share of problems too though.

[12secondv6]

Realistic for a college student??

Nope.

Parts are VERY expensive..... and labor at dealers.... WOW!

Keep the f body, parts are cheaper.... insurance is cheaper....

Trust me.

I know how expensive mercedes parts/ labor/ dealer visits are.....

[HokieBird]

The E36s can be very reliable, but when something does go wrong if you can't fix it on your own it is going to cost you. As far as insurance goes, you just need to call your company and findout. Pretty much any car can be practical for college if you are on campus or dont plan on hauling people and things around. In the end it will most definetly be more practical than an f-body do to having a trunk and 4 doors (depending on the model).

[shenanigans]

Originally posted by 12secondv6:
Realistic for a college student??

Nope.

Parts are VERY expensive..... and labor at dealers.... WOW!

Keep the f body, parts are cheaper.... insurance is cheaper....

Trust me.

I know how expensive mercedes parts/ labor/ dealer visits are.....

Agreed, if your car problems are pricey and problematic, a mid-90s BMW is the last thing you want.

[kristen]

bwm, wow style!

[Fredless]

Ever thought about a 5 speed Maxima? Those are nice cars if you can find one that doesn't have 150k+ on it for a good price.

[cmartin99]

integra's look alright if they're not riced out, just put a nice set of wheels on it

[Everglades W68]

You are looking for a car that is roughly 10 years old, reliable, good looking, fun to drive and cheap?

[img]graemlins/rofl.gif[/img]

Good luck.

[Merlin]

Originally posted by Everglades W68:
You are looking for a car that is roughly 10 years old, reliable, good looking, fun to drive and cheap?

[img]graemlins/rofl.gif[/img]

Good luck.

I fail to miss the funny, the only thing it that doesn't apply in this case is "cheap" :rolleyes:
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Aaaanyways
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Thanks to all who replied, I guess I'll just stick with it at least until I finish school.

[shenanigans]

I can see getting a new car... Just don't think going to a mid 90s BMw is a good idea, they aren't "that" reliable parts cost a fortune.

[Pewter99Camaro]

You need a nice 5.0 mustang [img]graemlins/banana.gif[/img] !!!!! It doesn't take hours to change the plugs!!!! and they are cheap to fix, however, it'll eat its fair share of gas:-(